OUR WEEK-AUGUST 26TH TO SEPTEMBER 1ST

REMINDERS —• School starts tomorrow, August 22nd.
Watch for little folks — or medium sized
folks darting about, doing their best to
get where big folks tell them to go.
Have a great year, kids!Don't forget to look both ways before crossing.
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SUNDAY, AUGUST 26, 2012
THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
COLOR: GREEN

Summer vacation season is winding down in
the northern hemisphere. This may be one of
the last weekends for "summer schedules."
Next weekend is Labor Day weekend.
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SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR TODAY:
1 KINGS 8: 1-11, 22-30, 41-43
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
Today's reading marks the essence of the
transition from the way of life of Israel under
judges to its new way of life under kings.
A successful transition of power has taken
place within the royal family
(David to Solomon). All that remained of the
former "wandering" nomadic way of life was
the tabernacle - - literally a portable "tent"
for public worship, suitable for a transient
people constantly on the move. This is no
longer appropriate for a nations people who
have settled down in one place and begun to
manifest a constant residence. These people
are now ruled by a king who occupies an
earth-bound palace. This is a transition from
transient living and worship to established
community worship. It may be characterized
as a transition from "small community on the
move" to "a large permanent settlement built
around the town square." This week's story
of the building and dedication of the temple
in Jerusalem marks the end (obsolescence)
of the tabernacle tent, though some of its
fixtures will reappear on a far grander, more
"regal" scale, in a completed temple complex.
Highlights of the story of the dedication of the
temple complex in Jerusalem have extended
portions of a dedication prayer by King
Solomon. In this prayer, Solomon calls on
promises in the covenant with his father David
to ask God to sustain the dynasty and to hear
the prayers prayed in or toward the temple.
1 KINGS 8:1-11
SOLOMON BRINGS THE ARK TO THE TEMPLE
1 Then King Solomon sent for the elders of Israel.
He told them to come to him in Jerusalem. They
included all of the leaders of the tribes. They also
included the chiefs of the families of Israel. Solomon
wanted them to bring up the ark of the Lord's covenant
from Zion. Zion was the City of David.
2 All of the men of Israel came together to where
King Solomon was. It was at the time of the Feast
of Booths. The feast was held in the month of
Ethanim. That's the seventh month.
3 All of the elders of Israel arrived. Then priests
picked up the ark and carried it.4 They brought up the ark of the Lord. They also
brought up the Tent of Meeting and all of the
sacred articles that were in the tent. The priests
and Levites carried everything up.
5 The entire community of Israel had gathered
around King Solomon. All of them were in front
of the ark. They sacrificed huge numbers of sheep
and cattle. There were so many that they couldn't
be recorded. In fact, they couldn't even be counted.
6 The priests brought the ark of the Lord's
covenant to its place in the Most Holy Room of the
temple. They put it under the wings of the cherubim.
7 The cherubim's wings were spread out over the
place where the ark was. They covered the ark.
They also covered the poles that were used to
carry it.
8 The poles were so long that their ends could be
seen from the Holy Room in front of the Most Holy
Room. But they couldn't be seen from outside the
Holy Room. They are still there to this very day.
9 There wasn't anything in the ark except the two
stone tablets. Moses had placed them in it at
Mount Horeb. That's where the Lord had made
a covenant with the Israelites. He made it after
they came out of Egypt.
10 The priests left the Holy Room. Then the cloud
filled the temple of the Lord.
11 The priests couldn't do their work because of it.
That's because the glory of the Lord filled his temple.
1 KINGS 8:22-30
SOLOMON PRAYS TO SET THE TEMPLE
APART TO THE LORD
22 Then Solomon stood in front of the Lord's altar.
He stood in front of the whole community of Israel.
He spread out his hands toward heaven.23 He said, "Lord, you are the God of Israel. There
is no God like you in heaven above or on earth
below. You keep the covenant you made with us.
You show us your love. You do that when we follow
you with all our hearts.
24 You have kept your promise to my father David.
He was your servant. With your mouth you made
a promise. With your powerful hand you have
made it come true. And today we can see it.
25 "Lord, you are the God of Israel. Keep the
promises you made to my father David. Do it for
him. He was your servant. You said to him, 'You
will always have a man to sit on the throne of
Israel in my sight. That will be true only if your
sons are careful in everything they do. They must
live in my sight the way you have lived.'
26 God of Israel, let your promise to my father
David come true.
27 "But will you really live on earth? After all,
the heavens can't hold you. In fact, even the highest
heavens can't hold you. So this temple I've built
certainly can't hold you!
28 "But please pay attention to my prayer. Lord my
God, show me your favor as I make my appeal to
you. Listen to my cry for help. Hear the prayer I'm
praying to you today.
29 Let your eyes look toward this temple night and
day. You said, 'I will put my Name there.' So please
listen to the prayer I'm praying toward this place.
30 "Hear me when I ask you to show us your favor.
Listen to your people Israel when they pray toward
this place. Listen to us from heaven. It's the place
where you live. When you hear us, forgive us.
1 KINGS 8:41-43
41 "Suppose there are strangers who don't belong
to your people Israel. And they have come from a
land far away. They've come because they've
heard about your name.
42 When they get here, they will find out even more
about your great name. They'll hear about how you
reached out your mighty hand and powerful arm.
So they'll come and pray toward this temple.
43 "Then listen to them from heaven. It's the place
where you live. Do what those strangers ask you
to do. Then all of the nations on earth will know
you. They will have respect for you. They'll respect
you just as your own people Israel do. They'll know
that your Name is in this house I've built.
PSALM 84 (UMH 804)
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
A psalm in praise of the beauty of the temple.
A PSALM FOR THE SONS OF KORAH
1 Lord who rules over all,
how lovely is the place where you live!2 I long to be in the courtyards of the Lord's temple.
I deeply long to be there.
My whole being cries out
for the living God.
3 Lord who rules over all,
even the sparrow has found a home near your altar.
My King and my God,
the swallow also has a nest there,
where she may have her young.
4 Blessed are those who live in your house.
They are always praising you.
Selah (Stop and listen)

5 Blessed are those whose strength comes from
you. They have decided to travel to your temple.
6 As they pass through the dry Valley of Baca,
they make it a place where water flows.
The rain in the fall covers it with pools.
7 Those people get stronger as they go along,
until each of them appears in Zion, where God lives.
8 Lord God who rules over all, hear my prayer.
God of the people of Jacob, listen to me.
Selah (Stop and listen)

9 God, look with favor on your anointed king.
You appointed him to be like a shield that keeps
us safe.10 A single day in your courtyards is better
than a thousand anywhere else.
I would rather guard the door of the house of my
God than live in the tents of sinful people.
11 The Lord God is like the sun that gives us light.
He is like a shield that keeps us safe.
The Lord blesses us with favor and honor.
He doesn't hold back anything good
from those whose lives are without blame.
12 Lord who rules over all,
blessed is everyone who trusts in you.
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EPHESIANS 6:10-20
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
Put on the whole armor of God as defense
against surrounding evil spiritual strongholds
and pray constantly for all sisters and
brothers in Christ. A strong implication of the
type of uniform Paul describes here is that the
Christian life is not a "great war waged far
away on a cosmic scale," but rather far more
about the day to day business of actual
"peace-keeping" or "gospel living" on the
ground where we actually are. It seems
likely that Paul may have intended this to be
heard as practical, sensible spiritual advice. The armor of the local Roman police would
have been quite familiar to all of his readers
and listeners. The "sword" is not a long battle
sword, but a short sword (more like a dagger)
that might be used by police to break up fights
in close range on the streets. This sword
appears to be more of an instrument for
preserving the public peace than waging war.
EPHESIANS 6:10-20
GOD'S ARMOR
10 Finally, let the Lord make you strong. Depend
on his mighty power.
11 Put on all of God's armor. Then you can stand
firm against the devil's evil plans.
12 Our fight is not against human beings. It is
against the rulers, the authorities and the powers
of this dark world. It is against the spiritual forces
of evil in the heavenly world.
13 So put on all of God's armor. Evil days will come.
But you will be able to stand up to anything. And
after you have done everything you can, you will
still be standing.
14 So stand firm. Put the belt of truth around your
waist. Put the armor of godliness on your chest.
15 Wear on your feet what will prepare you to tell
the good news of peace.
16 Also, pick up the shield of faith. With it you can
put out all of the flaming arrows of the evil one.
17 Put on the helmet of salvation. And take the
sword of the Holy Spirit. The sword is God's word.
18 At all times, pray by the power of the Spirit.
Pray all kinds of prayers. Be watchful, so that you
can pray. Always keep on praying for all of
God's people.
19 Pray also for me. Pray that when I open my
mouth, the right words will be given to me. Then
I can be bold as I tell the mystery of the good news.
20 Because of the good news, I am being held
by chains as the Lord's messenger. So pray that
I will be bold as I preach the good news. That's
what I should do.
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JOHN 6:56-69
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
Jesus continues to contrast those who
"chew on his flesh and live into eternity" with
those who "ate the manna in the wilderness
and died" while teaching in the synagogue
in Capernaum. The point is so clear and
offensive, perhaps particularly in that context,
that many of his followers abandon him.
Jesus lets them go. He does not try to stop
them. Peter and an unspecified number of
others remain because they are convinced he
has the words of life.
Though few English translations portray this
accurately, the verb Jesus continues to use
in today's reading is almost always the verb
"to chew upon" rather than the more generic
verb "to eat".
56 Anyone who eats my body and drinks my
blood remains in me. And I remain in him.
57 "The living Father sent me, and I live because
of him. In the same way, those who feed on me
will live because of me.
58 This is the bread that came down from heaven.
Long ago your people ate manna and died. But
those who feed on this bread will live forever."
59 He said this while he was teaching in the
synagogue in Capernaum.
Many Disciples Leave Jesus
60 Jesus' disciples heard this. Many of them said,
"This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"
61 Jesus was aware that his disciples were
complaining about his teaching. So he said to
them, "Does this upset you?
62 What if you see the Son of Man go up to where
he was before?
63 The Holy Spirit gives life. The body means
nothing at all. The words I have spoken to you
are from the Spirit. They give life.
64 But there are some of you who do not believe."
Jesus had known from the beginning which of
them did not believe. And he had known who was
going to hand him over to his enemies.
65 So he continued speaking. He said, "This is
why I told you that no one can come to me
unless the Father helps him."
66 From this time on, many of his disciples
turned back. They no longer followed him.
67 "You don't want to leave also, do you?"
Jesus asked the Twelve.
68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, who can
we go to? You have the words of eternal life.
69 We believe and know that you are the
Holy One of God."
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MONDAY, AUGUST 27TH —
This is Pastor Melodee's and Naomi's day off.
The office will be closed today.
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29TH —
ABC Finance Meeting at 6:30 P.M. and
ABC AD Council Meeting at 7:00 P.M.
Both meetings held at Adair U.M.C.
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 31ST —
School will dismiss at 2:20 P.M.
Beginning of Labor Day Weekend.
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— FUTURE FOCUS —
— SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2ND —
CASEY AND ADAIR CHURCHES WILL SWITCH
CHURCH SERVICE TIMES.
• CASEY U.M.C. WILL HAVE 9 A.M. WORSHIP &
10:30 FELLOWSHIP.
• ADAIR U.M.C. WILL HAVE 10:30 A.M. WORSHIP
WITH FELLOWSHIP BEFORE AT 9:00 A.M.
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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3RD —
LABOR DAY - NO SCHOOL
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5TH —
• Adair U.M.W. will meet in the church at 1:30 P.M.
• Nominating Meeting at 7:30 P.M. will be in the
Adair U.M.C.
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Thank you for all of your help this week.
Without you, the wheels would come off.

God Bless and Keep You,
Pastor Melodee